With wages growth at the lowest point for decades and profits growing fast employers still refuse to pass on desperately needed wage rises. Corporate greed and power are keeping Australians worrying close to not coping with rising costs.

Quotes attributable to President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Ged Kearney:

“Malcolm Turnbull’s assurances that wages will rise are nonsense if they fall on deaf ears. Today’s response from employer groups shows just that.

“We need more than empty promises, we need to change the rules.

“Workers’ pay is a record low growth rates because under today’s rules big business has too much power, making it impossible for workers to bargain for pay rises.

“Even though wage growth is at record lows and corporate profits are up, big business is telling workers they will continue to miss out on pay rises.

“Big businesses’ profits are increasing rapidly with the assistance of the Turnbull Government who allow companies to pay no tax despite massive profits. And still our PM is determined to usher through further tax cuts for corporations.

“A third of big businesses in Australia aren’t paying any tax, and workers’ wage growth remains at record low.

“Today the ACCI has suggested that the minimum wage should remain so low that working people must live in poverty.

“ACCI needs to accept that the rules are broken, working people need a pay rise, and their wages must increase.

“The federal government’s industrial relations system makes it illegal for workers to demand industry or sector-wide agreements and even restricts what workers are allowed to ask for.

“Employers won't bargain or give fair pay increases unless working people have enough power to make them bargain or there is an independent umpire who is empowered to assist.

“Working people should be able to bargain where the power is, across an industry or supply chain.’

“We need to change the rules so that workers have enough power to make sure wages are fair and jobs are secure.”

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